Engineering students have declared that they will once again block Dhaka’s busy Shahbagh intersection on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, they staged a five-hour blockade before withdrawing around 8 p.m., which allowed traffic to resume in the area.

A student from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Abrar Faiyaz, told reporters that students from CUET, KUET, RUET, and other institutions would march to Shahbagh to press for their three-point demand. From there, they plan to move towards the Chief Adviser’s residence in Jamuna.

Their demands include: preventing diploma engineers from using the title “engineer” before their names, stopping promotions of diploma engineers to Grade-9 posts, and ensuring that entry into Grade-10 positions is reserved for graduate engineers.

During Tuesday’s protest, students from BUET and private universities blocked Shahbagh from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. The demonstration brought traffic to a standstill in the heart of the capital, causing severe congestion in nearby areas.

Speaking to the press at the blockade, Shakil Ahmed, Vice President of the “Engineering Rights Movement,” said that despite six months of appeals, the government had not acted on their demands. “The government has left us with no choice but to take to the streets,” he said.

Movement President Wali Ullah added: “Our patience has run out. We stayed at the Secretariat all day but no one spoke to us. That is why we had to block Shahbagh.”

At a later press briefing, Shakil Ahmed also alleged that an engineer in Rangpur had been threatened with death after being detained. “Those responsible must be arrested and brought to justice,” he said, while reiterating the group’s three-point demands.

The blockade caused widespread disruption for commuters. Vehicles heading through Shahbagh from areas like Matsya Bhaban and Katabon were forced to turn back, while traffic from Dhaka University was halted at the intersection.

One commuter, Tasmia Rahim, who was on her way to BIRDEM Hospital with her sick child, described the hardship: “We came from Jatrabari but our bus was stopped at Matsya Bhaban. I had to walk all the way to the hospital carrying my child.”